Dallas Black Clergy calls scathing juvenile report 'shocking but not surprising'
DALLAS - A group of clergy who brought to light allegations of mistreatment at the Dallas juvenile department says they want to play a role in the changes that are expected to be made.
It comes a day after a state report confirmed many of the concerns about what was going on at the Henry Wade Juvenile Justice Center.
The Dallas Black Clergy called the Office of Inspector General’s report shocking but not surprising. The group is now calling for an independent review, more accountability and community input in the search for the new executive director.
The group first sounded the alarm to concerning conditions and mistreatment inside the center in June.
"The report confirmed that we are not going away until our children get the care that they deserve," said Rev. Kamilah Hall Sharp with the Gathering Women’s Church in Dallas.
The report covered a six-month period from January to June 2023.
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Investigators found the department made efforts to avoid state standards and possibly falsified documents, which is a criminal offense.
It also said multiple juveniles were confined to their rooms — sometimes all day — without access to education, exercise or showers.
"Young people in Dallas County Juvenile Detention Center are living and have lived in conditions that no humane — let alone a child should ever have to endure," said Dallas Black Clergy Co-Founder Kwesi Kamau.
The group says the report is a start, but they want a third-party independent review to offer recommendations for best practices and community input in the search for the new executive director and more accountability.
"We demand swift accountability for every adult in the system who has harmed our children and trampled upon their civil and human rights," said Rev. Dr. Michael Water with the Dallas Black Clergy.
Dallas County Juvenile Dept. Interim Executive Director Michael Griffiths spoke to FOX 4 about the report's findings.
"As troubling as the report is we're finally glad to get the official conclusions presented to us by the inspector general's office."
Griffiths says action will be taken against those who knew about the persistent issues.
Head of Dallas County Juvenile Justice Center refutes claims of 'inhumane' conditions
"We take this very seriously, and we are in the process of rectifying everything that's in this report," he said.
Members of the Dallas Black Clergy want to meet with him and be part of that process, too.
"We’re not looking for remedies that are short-lived," Waters said. "We want long-term solutions."
A follow-up surprise inspection was done in July. The findings of that report haven’t been released yet.
Back in June, the Dallas Black Clergy asked to meet with every member of the juvenile department board. They said, so far, only two board members have met with them.